Auto Service Tips and Tricks for Women and Novices

Hi! My name is Melinda, and I have been doing most of my own car maintenance of years. I've always been the person who talked to the mechanic when my husband and I take our cars in to be serviced. Over the years, I have noticed that many women shy away from repairing their own cars, and they may even be afraid to ask questions about the process. I have created this blog for women like that as well as for other novices. In it, I plan to post tips and tricks on everything related to repairing and maintaining your vehicle. If you have a question that you are afraid to ask, I hope you can find the answer here. Happy reading and happy driving!

3 Reasons Why Your Car's AC Has Weak Airflow and How to Fix It

Posted on:
4 October 2018

The temperatures are getting warmer, and pretty soon, it will be close to unbearable to travel in a car without a sound air conditioning system. The problem with car ACs is that they do not just break down one day, the process is generally slow, and if you are not keen, you may not realise it is happening. One of the strongest indicators that your car's AC is falling apart is weak airflow. Here are three of the most common causes of weak air flow and how you can resolve them.

1. Mould in the evaporator

Your car's evaporator is the place where a little darkness, warmth and just the right amount of moisture meet. The conditions are made even better for the growth of mould because of the presence of dust and spores from the environment. When mould and mildew accumulate in the evaporator core, the air flow starts weakening because of the blockage.

2. The ventilation fan stopped working

Most new generation vehicles are fitted with multi-speed fans which blow air through a series of ducts depending on the directions given by the car owner. The different speeds are governed by a set of resistors or a computer module. Sometimes, these resistors overheat and end up burning out, which stop some speeds from working. When the fan gets stuck at a certain speed, especially the low speeds, it will not be blowing as much cold air as you would like, and the efficiency will also be compromised a lot.

3. Leaks in the AC system

Sometimes, the seals in your vehicle's evaporator core open up, reducing the flow of air. At other times, the seals will be okay, but there will be another leak in the system, interfering with the speed and volume of air getting out of the system and into your vehicle's interior. The solution here lies in replacing the seals if they are looking worn out. If the problem is leakage, you should consider resealing the leak and also replacing the lost refrigerant.

No one wants to sit an unbearably hot car for any length of time. When you start feeling as if the air flow in your car's AC is not as it used to be, it is time to call in an expert. They will assess the entire AC system and figure out why the speed and volume of cold air being blasted into the cabins has reduced. For more information on your car air conditioning performance, contact your local auto repair shop.